Improvement in elevators



HINKLE.

. Elevators.

' N0.I55,.306. Patented Sept.22,l874.

, brake.

UNITED STATES PATENT Cr mp.

PHILIP HINKLE, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN ELEVATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 155,306, dated September 22, 1874 application filed August 24, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PHILIP HINKLE, of San Francisco city and county, State of California, have invented an Improved Elevator; and 1 do hereby declare the following description and accompanying drawings are sufficient to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which it most nearly appertains to make and use my said invention or improvement without further invention or experiment.

My invention relates to an improvement in elevators, and more especially of that class which are termed sidewalk elevators, and which are intended to deliver merchandise to and from a cellar or basement. It consists in the employment of a platform, which is guided by angle-irons at its two, opposite corners, and is elevated or depressed by the action of a shaft and drums, situated at one side of the platform, through the medium of wire-ropes passing over pulleys, and attached to opposite corners of the platform, and to a frame below its surface, so that it can be elevated above the sidewalk to the level of a vehicle, and receive or deliver its load directly.

A peculiar clutch serves to hold the elevator at any point, and by means of its brake it can be lowered at will.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanation of my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my machine. Fig. 2 is a view of the angular guides. Fig. 3 is a view of the drum for the double ropes. Fig. 4 is a view of the clutch and A represents the level of the sidewalk, and B the floor of the basement, between which the elevator-platform O is to operate. This platform has a frame-work extending below it, and to the lower cross-timbers D the ends of the flexible wire ropes E are secured.

The object of securing the elevating-ropes below the platform is to enable me to raise the platform to such a height above the level of the sidewalk that goods can be transferred directly to or from a wagon or dray without any lifting.

In order to guide my platform in its movements, I employ two or more angle-irons, F, suitably secured at opposite corners, and within these angle-irons the ends of the timbers D I are fitted to travel.

away with side timbers, and give plenty of space for loading or unloading the platform.

Four ropes, E, are employed, one being secured to each end'of both cross-beams, D, and these ropes pass over pulleys G G just beneath the level of the sidewalk. The outer ropes, after passing over their pulleys G, are carried across, so as to pass over the pulleys G, which have asecondary groove to accommodate them. From these pulleys the ropes pass downward to the drums H, which are secured to the shaft I, one in a line with each pair of ropes, E. A dividing-rib, J, is formed upon each of the drums, so that the two ropes will be separated as they are wound up, and not override each other, or a right-and-left worm may be used to guide the ropes. A pinion, K, upon the driving-shaft L, meshes into the gear-wheel M upon the drum-shaft I. The shaft L may be operated by any suitable power but, in the present case, I have shown the hand-cranks O O.

In order to control the movements of the elevator I employ a clutch, which consists of a hub, P, secured to the shaft L. Arms Q project from this hub, and these arms are slotted to admit the sliding pawls 1. Outside of these arms is a rim, S, which has the internal ratchet, as shown. In elevating the platform, the rim will be held stationary by the compress-brake T, and as the shaft L and its arms Q are turned around each pawl 1" slides out and engages the ratchet 011 the rim S soon after it passes below the line of the shaft. As the pa wls in their revolution approach the top they slide back again, and thus two pawls are engaged with the ratchet all the time, and are ready to hold the elevator at any point to which it may be raised.

When it is necessary to lower the platform, the weight U on the lever arm V is raised, and this permits the compress levers 'l to separate, and allow the rim S to turn with the arms and shaft L while the platform is descending.

The sidewalk-opening is made somewhat larger than the platform, both to give light and to allow the operator to pass up or down.

the clutch, consisting of the rim S with its interior ratchet, and the arms Q with their sliding pawls a", when constructed to operate substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal.

PHILIP HINKLE. [L.

Witnesses:

JOHN L. BOONE, O. M. RICHARDSON. 

